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Friday, September 30, 2011

Well, the bobble project from my knitting class is quite possibly the ugliest thing I've made in a while...perhaps ever! LOL The project was supposed to be a "spa" soap bag that you can use as a soapy washcloth. Well, cotton yarn doesn't have any stretch so making the faux bobbles (which, the teacher realized, weren't really bobbles due to the technique we were using to make them) was...well...really a stretch! Instead continuing to make the faux bobbles after I had to rip out four rows to fix a faux bobble that had fallen apart, I just knitted the rest of the project. We then attempted a kitchener's seam to bind the bottom edge together without a visible seam. Yah, well, mine is visible alright! Sigh.

A lovely lady in my class made two, one in pink that she gave to me to donate to the knit for the cure. It is LOVELY! Oh my goodness. I'm so jealous...my attempt looks positively dismal next to it! Her's so beautifully done it inspires me to give the pattern another try...at some point. Maybe just not with cotton yarn. ;0)

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Oh, did you want to see that cozy, too, Pricess? LOL Oh life with cats...

Anyway, here is my honeycomb cozy! I love the pattern, enough that I want to make a scarf with the pattern. A lady in my class pointed out how stiff the pattern makes the worsted weight yarn feel and that it'd probably be a more cozy scarf if it was done in a thinner weighted yarn.

Then we got to work on our bobbles project. I have about four more inches to go of just bobbles...I LOVE LOVE LOVE the way bobbles look. It's especially challenging to knit three stitches together with cotton yarn (since it doesn't have any stretchiness to it) but it is nice to learn the technique for future patterns. We'll finish the bobble project up in class and turn it into a "soap bag"...can't wait to show it off.

Monday, September 19, 2011

My LYS (local yarn store), Yarning for You, had a Knit for the Cure event! Those of you who know me KNOW how passionate I am about the Komen for the Cure Foundation. The 3 day is only 9 weeks away, I really need to get serious about my training. Eeks! But anyway...it was nice to put the walking shoes away and get down to some serious knitting...

We gathered together to knit items to donate for sale at the 5K and the 3 Day. We got 15% anything purchased that day and the emphasis was buying yarn to make a project to donate. It was hard but I made myself stick with what I brought. Oh, how easy it is to covet!

I love this store! The turn out was great, there were fun give aways and lots of laughter...and knitting!

I love to watch hands as they knit...and I loved seeing all of the creations that were in the process of being made.

My contribution was the hat on the right. :0) I hope to knit more by the 11/1/11 deadline but I also know that I HAVE to get into serious training mode here! A little less knitting, a little more walking. Oh, and I've still got some funds to raise for my 3 day walk...if you love pink and feel the urge, feel free to donate at the link below:

Saturday, September 17, 2011

My grandma found an adult continuing education course on Intermediate Knitting skills and my mom and I decided to sign up. It's actually located at my mom's old jr. high! Thursday night was the first class and we learned how to do cables. With just some simple stitches done out of order (and twisted when knitted) and you get some funky 3-D action going on in your knits.

Now, I'm not going to go through the process of HOW to knit cables when there are SO many great blogs and YouTube videos devoted to the topic already. Try:http://www.knittinghelp.com/video/play/crossing-cables-with-a-cable-needle if you are REALLY curious. The video shows a different cable pattern then what we made in class. We made a "Honeycomb" pattern and the plan was to make a coffee cup "cozy." Well, I'd managed to move the size 6 needles to the wrong knitting project bag (you realize I have FOUR, right?) and only had size 8's with me. The bigger the needle, the bigger the stitch, the bigger the finished product. So I was a little worried I was going to end up with a Super Big Gulp cozy! We're going to finish it up in class next week (then move onto "bobbles," very cool) but I've posted a pic of it "in process." The flash is too bright but you can still make out raised "circles" in rows...a honeycomb pattern!

The class was really fun and super entertaining. I'm really looking forward to all I'm going to learn. I still am in my scarf knitting obsession though...all I can think of is that the pattern would look so cool in a fall color (warm muted orange-ish brown)...worn in a scarf! LOL Until next time...peace, love and yarn!

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Knitting is my current obsession but I've been wanting to gain some sewing machine skills. My friend, Mylinh, has an amazing talent. She marvels us through her blog with all sorts of clever creations. It helps that she has an adorable daughter to dress but she makes non-clothes items as well. M offered to teach me to sew when I commented on her blog how much I'd like to give it a hand. Maybe she doesn't know what she is getting into...I have major bobbin issues left over from 7th grade Home-Ec. She posted a picture of a darling bag she sewed for a co-worker and I picked that to be my first attempt. Well, first four attempts. I'm going to make one for each of my nieces. Our other friend, Laura, wants to join in the fun, too. I already went and bought the fabrics...on sale at Joann's, of course. (Hobby Lobby has two weeks until their projected opening up in Temecula and I'm SO THERE!)

I really tried to find fabrics that complement my niece's personalities. A's was the hardest, for some reason. I found some cute patterns but they were in curderoy and I wasn't sure if that would be harder to sew so I kept looking. I actually go stressed out over it...I had to remind myself, it's a process. It's enjoyable. And as soon as I changed my mindset, I spotted the fabric I bought for her. All of the girls get floral patterns, except for baby I. She gets a kitty print in honor of her first word "eow". I bought contrasting fabric for the bottom of the bags and straps. Now, it's time to set a date to sew. Better start making sure all of the excess machine parts are together in one place. Would hate to get to her house with the machine minus the power cable! (LOL)

Monday, September 12, 2011

Every child in the Warn family has been introduced to "spool knitting." It's a simple art that can be made from a wooden spool, four nails and a darning needle (or a more elaborate set up--see below). It's also a quick way to make something called an "I cord" in the knitting world. It was my first introduction to knitting.

I did eventually try knitting needles but couldn't get the knack of it. And then it came to pass about a year or two ago that my mom, a lefty, decided to start knitting (and taught herself "backwards" as a righty). She soon became convinced that it would be a perfect mother-daughter bonding experience. Something akin to guilt was the only thing that made me pick up (rather begrudgingly) the pair of size six needles with striped pink cotton yarn to give it a try.

I knitted only in her presence. My excuse was that the cats would get into the yarn if I took the 'scarf to be' home. But really I was rather frightened of all of the mistakes I could possibly make. That and I just wasn't "into it."

While visiting Whidbey Island after my uncle's death, my cousins and I ate ice cream and drank coffee (well, did one or the other) while our moms visited a local yarn shop. Eventually, we got bored and went inside. The colors were pretty and in all honesty, it was the textures of the fancier yarns that drew me in. Then, he saw it. My cousin picked out a sample of a simply GORGEOUS scarf done in all sorts of colors, textures and triangular patterns. He was so taken by it, he tried to buy it for his wife. The proprietress was aghast! SELL one of her creations?! Never! Didn't we realize that they were for DISPLAY ONLY? Slightly taken back, we hung our heads while our moms kept shopping. I'd decided if the cousin didn't buy it, I'd buy it for myself so I was quite put out. I just kept going back and looking at it. Fingering it (I MUST touch yarn...I practically PET IT). Coveting it.

Then the epiphany struck me. I could learn to make something JUST LIKE IT. Suddenly, I was inspired. I knew I had a ways to go before getting to that skill level but in fact, that night, I knit up a storm. (My mom had INSISTED I pack my knitting...I think I made her put it into her suitcase, lol.) It took a little time to finish up my small ball of cotton yarn and it wasn't enough for a scarf. I wasn't sure what store it had come from or how to find more of it...what is a novice knitter to do? Be creative! My mom took the almost finished piece to my 11 year old niece, E, and she finished up a pointed end to it. My mom blocked it and sewed it together. Then...viola! A small coin purse was made.

I knitted an I cord with the spool knitter and one of these days, I'll get my mom to help me attach it as a strap. I wand a little coin PURSE not wallet, lol.

Now my days and nights are filled with knitting and my closet full of my yarn stash. Of course, my fears about my feline helpers wasn't completely unjustified. Phat Cat is rather clingy for a cat and just LOVES to curl up next to me (and on my creations) and though four years of age, it isn't beneath the Princess to find the end of the cast on string to is dangling JUST to torment her. Sigh. Phat cat has gotten into more of his fair share of yarn, I must mention. He shreds yarn labels more finely than toilet paper, it seems.

There are all sorts of clues and hints in this picture of my progression from novice knitter to an intermediate chick with sticks but I'll save it for another post. As we speak, Phat cat is curled up against my right arm and plus, you wanted a blog post, not a novel. Until next time...peace, love and yarn!